Printing or stamping device



J. J. PLEGER PRINTING OR STAMPING DEVICE Jan. 8, 1935.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1930 Jan. 8, 1935. J. J. PLEGER PRINTING OR STAMPING DEVICE Filed Sept. 10, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z 7Z dflfo 7 707273 ,712 e I Jan. 8, 1935. J. J PLEGER PRINTING OR STAMPING DEVICE 4 Sheet-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 10, 1930 Jan. 8, 1935. J PLEGER 1,987,370

PRINTING OR STAMPING DEVICE Filed Sept. 10, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ram'rmo on smmme mmca John J. Pleger, Wheaton, 111. Application September 10,1930, Serial No. 481,006

' 6 Claims. (01.101-381) 1 The invention relates to printing or stamping devices, and particularly to printing devices for stamping titles, etc., on the backs of books,

or the equivalent.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having improved means for holding the type and book backs in alinement during the printing or stamping operation so that the work done by the device will be of superior quality and so that the operator may handle a relatively large quantity of work in a given time.

A device embodying one form of the invention comprises a base which supports a frame member, a plunger slidably mounted in the frame member being equipped with a printing head at its lower end, which printing head carries a slidably mounted chase. Removable palettes centered in the chase are adapted to center and carry the type, etc., with respect to the plunger and a book back is placed upon the base and alined with the plunger and with the type. The book back is alined in the manner described by a memher which is detachably secured to the base, and

may be replaced by similar members of other dimensions to accoodate books of various sizes.

Many other objects and advantages of the invention wiil appear as the iollowing description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure it is a perspective view of a printing device which embodies the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. l.

3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. i.

i is a section taken on iine i-4 oi Fig. 3.

5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a bar which is employed to center book backs on the base of the machine shown in Fig. i.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a printing head and a chase which form parts of the device shown in Fig. 1, the chase being shown holding a plurality of palettes.

Mg. 9 is a bottom view of the apparatus shown in 8.

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 1010 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view oi one of the palettes shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 11.

in the drawings, I have illustrated a printing device which embodies the invention and is particularly adapted to stamp titles, etc. upon book backs, or covers.

Referring for the present to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the improved machine comprises a base 10 which may be positioned upon any suitable support. Formed integral, or secured to the base 10 is a frame member 11 having a head 12 in which a plunger 13 is slidably journaled. The plunger 13 has a rack 14 formed integral therewith and the rack 14 meshes with a pinion 15 fixed to a shaft 16 which is joumaled in a boss 17 formed integral with the head 12. A lever 13 fixed to the outer end of the shaft 16 may be manipulated to rotate the shaft 16 and the pinion 15 so that the plunger 13 will be raised or lowered depending upon the direction in which the handle 18 is moved. Secured to the lower end of the plunger 13 by a set screw 20 is a printing head which is designated, generally, by the reference character 19. It will be noted that the plunger 13 is rectangular in cross-section and that it fits snugly in a socket of similar shape provided in the printing head 19, the arrangement being such that the printing head 19 may be removed from the plunger and replaced thereon after having been rotated through an angle of 90. The purpose of this construction will presently appear.

As shown, the printing head is preferably provided with a heating unit 22 which, in this instance, comprises an electrical resistance. Ways 23 cutin the bottom surfaces of the printing head 19 slidably journal a chase 24 which is provided with a handle 25. The chase holds a plurality of palettes 26, each of which palettes holds type 27. In addition to the palettes 26, the chase holds fillettes 28 and a dash 29, the fillettes and the dash being in the form of slugs having, printing or stamping surfaces formed thereon (see Figs. 8, 9 and 10). It is readily understood that if the handle 18 is oscillated the type will be reciprocated so that if book backs are placed upon the base 10 in alinement with the type a. plurality of impressions may be made upon the books.

In this instance, the base 10 is providedwith a substantially rectangular upper surface 30 for supporting the book backs, a book back being illustrated at 31 in Figs. 1 and 3. The upper edge of the book back or cover abuts a bar or. stop 32 fixed to a slide 33 which is journaled in a slot 34 formed in the frame 11 (see Fig. 3). A set screw 35 screw threaded in the frame 11 is employed to hold the slide 33 and the bar or stop 32 in a plurality of adjusted positions to accommodate books of various sizes. Pivoted to the bar 32 and extending forwardly therefrom are spring members 36, the spring members 86 being adapted to frictionally engage book backs or covers placed upon the surface 30 and to prevent accidental displacement thereof relative to the base during the printing operation.

Book backs of the kind forwhich the improved machine is particularly designed generally comprise relatively still front and back covers 41 and a relatively flexible portion 42 intermediate the covers 41. When the printing is to be done upon the flexible portion 42 the book back is placed upon the base 10 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 so that the flexible portion 42 fits snugly over a bar 44 supported by the surface 30. As best shown in Figs. 3 to 'l, inclusive, the bar 44 is equipped with a plurality of pins 45 which project from its bottom surface and slidably engage the walls of a groove 46 formedin the base 10. A bent spring member 47 is adapted to frictionally engage the walls of the slot 46 with sufilcient force to prevent accidental displacement of the bar 47 relative to the base 10. It will be noted that at one end, the upper corners of the bar 44 are chamfered, as at 48. This is to accommodate the greater thickness of the flexible portion 42 at the top where the cloth or outside cover of the book is turned in upon the reinforcing board, or the equivalent.

The improved printing device is particularly adapted to print with gold leaf, and for this reason brackets 48 are provided for supporting a pin 49 upon which a spool 50 holding a supply of roll gold leaf, the gold leaf being sized or otherwise coated so that it will adhere to the book backs when it is subjected to pressure and heat. As shown in Fig. 1, the free end of the gold leaf may be drawn across the base or platen 10 to aline it with the type 27. As described above, the printing head 19 is provided with the heating unit 22 for this purpose, the heating unit 22 being connected through suitable electrical conductors to a switch device 51 and a rheostat 52, which switch device 51 and rheostat 52 are in turn connected by suitable conductors to any suitable source of electrical energy. The arrangement is such that the switch device 51 may be manipulated to close the heating circuit and the rheostat 52 may be adjusted to regulate the temperature of the heat of the printing head.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, the chase 24 is provided with downwardly extending lugs 53 and 54; The handle member 25 comprises a shank 25a screw threaded through the lug 54 and adapted to abut blocks or spacers 55 which clamp the palettes, flllettes and the dash between them and the lug 53. ObviousLv, the palettes, iillettes and the dash may be released by rotating the handle member 25 so that the shank 25a is backed away from the spacers 55. The various palettes 26 are preferably identical in construction, and as illustrated in Fig. 11 each pallette comprises a block or body portion 57, from the upper surface of which. a Pin 58 projects to snugly fit a groove 59 cut in the bottom surface of the chase 24, the chase 24 being provided with a similar pin 24a which rides in a slot 24b formed in the bottom surface of the printing head 19, see Figs. 10 and 11. The pin 58 projects into the body portion 57 to engage an annular groove 60 provided in a screw-threaded pin 61, the screw threaded pin 61 being rotatably ioumaled in the block or body portion 57. Obviously, the pin 61 is held against longitudinal displacement in the body portion. The pin is provided with righthand and left-hand screw threads 62 and 63, re-

spectively, at opposite ends, and one end thereof is provided with a knurled head 64 whereby the pin may be rotated. The left hand screw-threads 62 make screw threaded engagement with a type-clamp 65 and the right hand screw-threads 63 make screw-threaded engagement with a typeclamp 60.

As best shown in Fig. 11, the block of body portion 5'! has an inverted L-shaped cross-section' and is cut away to provide surfaces 68 and 69 disposed at right angles to each other, 'and slidably engaged by the type-clamps 65 and 66. The type-clamps 65 and 66 are provided with tongues 65a and 66a, respectively, which ride in a groove formed in the surface 69 of the body portion 57. The tongues 65a and 66a cooperate with the surfaces 68 and 69 to prevent angular displacement of the clamping members 65 and 66 around the pin 61 and also to prevent tipping of the clamping members in a plane parallel to the axis of the screw-threaded pin 61. This insures that the clamping members will not bind and may be adjusted quickly and easily to hold and center the type 2'7. The type-clamping members 65 and 66 are provided with opposing end surfaces 65b and 66b, respectively, between which the type is clamped. The clamping members 65 and 66 are also provided with upwardly extending lugs 65c and 66a, respectively, through which the pin 61 projects and between which the body portion 5'7 is positioned.

The clamping-members, the screw-threaded pin 61 and the body portion 57 are initially assembled in such manner that the opposing surfaces 65b and 66b are equi-distantly spaced from the center of the body portion, which center, in this instance, coincides with the longitudinal axis of the pin 58. It is readily understood that when the several parts are assembled in this manner, rotation of the pin 61 is accompanied by equal displacement, in opposite directions, of the clamping members 65 and 66 and, therefore, if they are displaced toward each other to clamp a plurality of type therebetween, the type will be centered and will extend equal distances on both sides of the center of the body portion 27. Then, as the pin 58 rides in the groove 59 of the chase 24, the

several palettes 26 will be alined with each other.

and the type carried by each of the palettes will be centered with repect to a central vertical plane extending from back to front through the chase 24, the printing head 19 and the plunger 13. In other words, the type in each pallette will extend equal distances on either side of this plane.

The distance the chase 24 may be shoved into the printing head 19 from the front end thereof (the right hand end in Figs. 8 and 9) is determined in this instance by the pin 24a riding in the slot 242: of the printing head. The slot extends rearward from the front end of the printing head and is preferably of such length that when a maximum number of palettes, etc. are assembled in the chase, and the chase is inserted in the printing head, the pin 2441 will engage the end of the slot 24b when the palettes, etc. are centered as a unit with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plunger 13. When a smaller number of pallettes, etc. are employed, additional blocks or spaces are used and are assembled with the palettes, etc. in such a manner that when the chase is inserted in the printing head, the palettes. etc. will be properly centered with respect to the plunger 13. However, the chase may be secured in adjusted positions in the printing head 19 as the printing head is preferably provided with a loose way 19a which is engaged by a set screw 72, the construction being such that the set screw 72 may be manipulated to have the way 19a clamp the chase in any desired position in the printing head. With this arrangement, the pin 58 need not be utilized at all times to center the palettes, etc. as a unit with respect to the plunger 13 as the operator may carefully bring the palettes into the centered position and then clamp the chase in place by manipulating the set screw 72.

The operation of the above described apparatus is substantially as follows: Assuming that a title is to be stamped on the back of a book which is substantially of the type shown at 31 in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, the switch 51 is first manipulated to connect the resistance 22 with the source of electrical energy. After the type has been heated to the desired temperature, the book back is placed upon the surface 30 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 6 so that the flexible portion of the back rests upon the bar 44 and the book back or cover is centered thereby with respect to the type. The book back is placed underneath the spring members 36 and against the stop 32. The gold leaf is then drawn across the book back until the free end thereof is underneath the type. The operator then draws the handle '18 downward and urges the type against the book back with sufficient force to stamp the title therein in gold, the combined heat and pressure to' which the sized gold leaf is subjected being sufiicient to cause it to adhere to the book back. The cover is then removed and similar covers may be stamped without readjusting the stop 32 or the chase 24.

A plurality of bars 44 of diiferent sizes are provided for each machine so that it will accommodate book backs of different dimensions. In the event the title is to be printed upon a cover of the book, or lengthwise of the fold in a book back, the bar 44 may be removed and the groove 46 may be filled with a strip (not shown) having substantially the same cross-sectional area as the groove. The set screw 20 is then loosened and the printing head 19 is angularly displaced 90 and again secured to the plunger 13 by the set screw 20. The chase 24 may be employed in these operations if it is so desired, or it may be replaced by a chase employing any of the features of the prior art.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible, in view of the prior art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A palette comprising a body portion which is substantially L-shaped in cross section and provided with a groove extending lengthwise thereof, a pair of type-clamping members slidably engaging said body portion and having tongues slidably engaging said groove, said clamping members having lugs disposed beyond the ends of said body portion, and a pin rotatably journaled in said body portion and held against longitudinal displacement, said pin being provided with right and left hand screw-threads making screw-threaded engagement with said lugs.

2. A slidably journaled printing head provided with ways and a groove, a chase engaging said ways and equipped with a pin slidably engaging said groove, said pin and one end of said groove co-operating to aline said chase with said printing head, and means on said chase for clamping a palette thereto.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said pin is journaled in a portion of the body such that the pin does not pass through said groove.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said palette is provided with a guide adapted to fit in a groove in a chase, and said rotatable pin has a central annular groove engaging said guide pin.

5, A palette comprising a body portion which is substantially L-shaped in cross section and provided with a groove extending lengthwise thereof, a pair of type-clamping members slidably engaging said body portion and having tongues slidably engaging said groove, said means being provided with angularly disposed lugs extending laterally of said groove, and a pin rotatably journaled in said body portion and held against longitudinal displacement, said pin being provided with right and left hand screw-threads making screw-threaded engagement with 'said lugs.

6. A palette comprising a body portion which is substantially L-shaped incross section and provided with a groove extending lengthwise thereof, a pair of type-clamping members slidably engaging said body portion and having tongues slidably engaging said groove, and a pin rotatably journaled in said body portion and held against longitudinal displacement, said pin being provided with right and left hand screwthreads making screw-threaded engagement with said members, said pin being journaled in a portion of the body such that it does not pass through said groove, said pin having a central annular groove, and a guide upon said palette adapted to fit in a groove in a chase and positioned to engage said annular groove.

JOHN J. PLEGER. 

